Regular readers of this blog will remember that we were following the major actions of the Very British Civil War in Little England Beyond Wales 1938. To recap, the King’s control of west Wales collapsed in 1938, with massive Welsh Nationalist and ‘Red’ insurrection across the country, with the King’s forces managing to hold out in besieged garrisons at Cardigan, Carmarthen, Llandeilo, Llandovery, Brecon and Crickhowell, as well as in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and in the isolated enclave of Pembrokeshire.
However, insurrection was also brewing in the still-loyal parts of Pembrokeshire and the situation exploded with the Pembroke Castle Hill Massacre and the attempt by the Bishop of St David’s to seize the county town of Haverfordwest from the King’s forces and the capture of a military train at the Battle of Crundale. The Bishop then also attempted to intervene in the larger war at Three Cocks, but Lord Tenby’s Royalist forces took advantage of the Bishop’s absence to launch a two-pronged counter-offensive against the Bishopric of St David’s
The opening moves of Operation ‘Shadwell’ had met with mixed success at Pelcomb Cross; the experienced regulars of the 2nd KSLI had managed to capture Pelcomb House, but the militant wing of the Campaign for Real Ale had failed in their attempt to take the Pelcomb Inn. Nevertheless, General Ivor Picton was forced to concede the field and pulled the Roch Fencibles back from their outpost line at Pelcomb, to the main defensive line on the high ground north of the Knock Brook, centred on the villages of Keeston and Simpson Cross. This would be a very tough nut for the Loyalists to crack.
However, Lord Margam, commanding the Loyalist Army of Pembrokeshire, had yet to play his ace: with the cream of the Bishopric Army now concentrated in the Keeston Line, other areas were now more lightly defended. One such location was the critical bridge over the Western Cleddau River at Camrose; this had been defended by a company of the regular Roch Castle Fencibles, but they were called away to reinforce the battle at Pelcomb Cross, leaving defence of the bridge to the Camrose and Treffgarne Local Defence Volunteers.
Lord Margam struck the lightly-defended bridge swift and hard, decisively routing the bewildered LDV. As word arrived at Roch Castle of the defeat at Camrose, General Picton immediately realised the gravity of the situation; the Loyalist forces now pouring across Camrose bridge had outflanked his entire line! They had already attacked the Cuttybridge strongpoint from the rear and were now advancing to attack Keeston itself from the rear. Only the remnants of the Camrose LDV, desperately holding on to positions at Furzy Mount and Robleston Hall, stood between the Blackshirts and victory! At once, General Picton ordered his last reserves to form a flying column and to mount an immediate counter-attack to relieve the LDV, to regain Camrose and to throw the Blackshirts back across the Cleddau! The situation could not be more desperate.
The Commanding Officer of the Camrose & Treffarne LDV, the Reverend Gethin Thomas, has managed to gather together a weak platoon of survivors and plans to defend the old mediaeval manor house of Robleston Hall, to give time for the Bishopric to mount a counter-attack. However, the Blackshirts, buoyed up by their victory at Camrose, are already hard on his heels.
The brief respite of battle is shattered as a section of Blackshirts, commanded by BUF Storm-Leader 2nd Class Ronald Biggsworth-Hill, opens up on the manor with rifles and Lewis Guns. A light tank from the King’s Dragoon Guards soon joins in with its heavy machine gun. An anti-tank rifle team prudently deploys to cover the Keeston road.
With the defenders suppressed by the massive storm of lead directed against Robleston Hall, the time is ripe for BUF Storm-Commander Fussell to order his assault sections in for the kill. On the right, a platoon of the Loyal West Carmarthenshire Greenjackets prepares to assault another group of LDV, holding a house at Furzy Mount.
The LDV holding Furzy Mount spot the Greenjackets moving in the undergrowth and open up with a fusillade of rifle fire.
Commanding the defenders is Lt Col Archibald Carruthers MC, late of the 9th Royal Deccan Horse. He thoroughly enjoyed the last battle and catching up with his old India chum Gussie, but these chaps seem to be decidedly common and not the sort to enjoy a good ruck in proper sporting fashion…
As Blackshirts move past to assault Robleston Hall, Lt Christopher Gough of the Greenjackets has his own problem to deal with and urges his men forward.
The Greenjackets open up on Furzy Mount with a withering hail of rifle and Lewis Gun fire. Nevertheless, the LDV seem undeterred and return fire.
“Sgt Stace! Where are you?! For God’s sake man! Shout out so I can come to you! I’m bally well lost in the brambles! Ow! Bloody nettles…”
Meanwhile, Biggsworth-Hill’s Blackshirts continue to pour fire into Robleston Hall. Within the hall, militiamen lie dead and wounded.
The Blackshirt assault goes in! The doors are kicked open and grenades are swiftly lobbed inside.
Only two wounded Anglican survivors stagger out of the Hall. Knowing the BUF’s reputation for brutality, they expect to be murdered at any moment, but on this occasion they’ve caught the Blackshirts in a good mood. A Loyalist medic patches them up and they’re sent back for interrogation. The Blackshirts push on through the Hall, but are met by a renewed volley of fire from the outbuildings, as the Reverend Thomas makes his last stand.
“Sgt Stace! Send a man back to beat down these nettles for me! ”
At Furzy Mount, Sgt Stace of the Greenjackets continues to direct fire against the Anglican defenders, who are starting to suffer casualties.
Greenjackets fix bayonets and ready grenades…
As the Greenjacket assault goes in on the front door, Lt Col Carruthers and his surviving men make good their escape out of the back door… How easy is it to ride a Welsh Black, one wonders…?
With their objective taken, Greenjacket patrols push forward to make contact with the enemy. As they advance, their platoon commander’s cries of nettle-induced anguish recede in the distance…
But here come the cavalry! Spearheaded by cavalry and armour, General Picton’s flying column arrives at Dudwells and pushes on to the aid of the militia.
“Come back, you silly sods! Don’t you know it’s the 20th Century?!” A tank commander’s cries are lost, as the Pembroke Post Office Lancers, their pith helmets festooned with spare elastic-bands in the finest traditions of the Post Office (you never know when they might come in handy for parcelling up loot or prisoners), scent blood and charge off to glory, medals and a well-earned cuppa.
The Pembroke Post Office Lancers are part of the Albertine contingent sent by sea from Pembroke Dock to reinforce the Bishopric. The Albertines are unquestionably well-trained and well-equipped, but they are insufferably smug. With skills honed to perfection on the tent-pegging field, the ‘Parcel Force’ charge through the defile at Dudwells to the green fields beyond…
… Pausing only briefly to do the day’s scheduled 2nd Collection at Dudwells Post Box…
Without any visible enemy, the Mounted Posties put on a fine display of impromptu tent-pegging.
They might be silly buggers, but they’re silly buggers with style, panache and bulging sacks.
However, nobody likes a show-off… Least of all Blackshirts with a Vickers Machine Gun… A long burst of fire scythes into the leading section of lancers, cutting two of them down. A third is thrown from his horse and into the Camrose Brook.
Once they stop laughing, the St David’s Armoured Corps advances to take on the Blackshirt machine gun. At the rear of the column, the sound of “Ten Green Bottles” and “Stop The Bus, I Want a Wee-Wee” being sung lustily, announces the arrival of the motorised infantry.
The Anglican armour moves forward, but is soon engaged in a duel to the death with the BUF anti-tank rifle team. As the armour provides supporting fire, the Post Office Lancers gallop for cover among the undergrowth skirting the Camrose Brook.
Meanwhile, back at Robleston Hall, the Reverend Thomas decides that he can hold out no longer and that discretion might be the better part of valour. God does help those who help themselves, after all… He and his men break cover and run as fast as they can for the safety of Dudwells and the relief column.
Seeing the LDV fleeing from Robleston Hall, BUF Storm-Leader 2nd Class Biggsworth-Hill has a rush of blood to the head and breaks cover in an attempt to cut off the enemy retreat. However, a new enemy has the deuced bad manners to machine-gun his men in the open! The bounders!
Other Blackshirts attempt to give covering fire, but they too are now coming under fresh enemy fire from Dudwells.
The fresh arrivals are the Bishop of St David’s Foot Guards. Formed chiefly from former members of the disbanded Welsh Guards, they are very experienced and highly-disciplined soldiers. With covering fire being provided by the armoured lorry’s Lewis Gun, the Guards quickly dismount and begin engaging the Blackshirts.
Seeing Blackshirts in the open, the Bishop’s Foot Guards unleash months’ worth of pent-up frustration at being made to wear such ridiculous uniforms and being called ‘Chocolate Soldiers’ by children and their Albertine allies!
With the Blackshirts hard on their heels and with bullets whizzing past their ears, the Reverend Thomas’ last surviving men leg it!
The King’s Dragoon Guards’ sole tank moves to support the anti-tank rifle team and begins to engage the Anglican light tank. One of the anti-tank rifle gunners is wounded, but they continue firing.
Meanwhile, back at Furzy Mount, a particularly officious policeman causes delay to the reserve BUF unit, but they are finally moving forward again.
The KDGs’ tank is hit by 13mm heavy machine gun fire from the Anglican tank! With a track blown off, the KDGs are now immobilised. Nevertheless, with commendable courage, they remain in their tank and continue firing at the enemy armour!
The KDGs’ belligerence pays off as they score hits on the enemy tank, damaging the running gear. The Anglican tank crew panic and bail out, taking cover behind their stricken tank. The KDGs keep firing and succeed in causing further damage to the Anglican tank.
Suddenly there is a screech of brakes and tyres, followed by a crash and a lot of Australian-accented swearing! The Albertine Australian Light Horse have arrived… By bus…
As one section of Australians takes up position in the house, another moves forward to the hedgerow and takes the BUF under heavy fire. The second bus arrives and disgorges another section of infantry and a Vickers Machine Gun team. The Vickers Gun also takes up position in the house.
Resplendent in their ‘Kangaroo Feathers’ dyed Albertine purple, the Australians cut quite a dash despite their lack of horses. The regiment was formed from RAAF airmen, who were waiting to receive a delivery of new Saro flying boats at RAF Pembroke Dock, but were stranded when the war broke out. Being Australians, they formed a surfers’ colony at Freshwater West beach for a few months, but eventually grew bored and decided to join up for fights and giggles.
Despite achieving a marked fire superiority over the BUF, the Foot Guards suffer casualties as the two men manning the lorry’s Lewis Gun are cut down by enemy fire. Undaunted, the Foot Guards’ CO and standard-bearer heroically man the Lewis Gun, providing an inspiration to all who witness it.
While the Anglican tank crew cower behind their tank, their colleagues in the armoured car move forward in an attempt to finish off the Royalist tank and the pesky anti-tank rifle team.
The Blackshirts are now starting to suffer heavy casualties from the enormous weight of fire being put down by the Guards and Australians. Their only hope now is for the Greenjackets to get weaving and flank the Australians.
“View Halloo!” Meanwhile, a section of the Post Office Lancers is distracted by a fox and some belligerent sheep…
The Lancers have a grand old time, chasing sheep along the Camrose Valley…
Exasperated, the Squadron Commander orders the bugler to sound the Recall in a desperate attempt to get his men to do something useful!
Finally back in some sort of order, the Post Office Lancers sneak along the Camrose Valley in an attempt to flank the BUF anti-tank rifle team.
Bored with sheep, the wayward cavalry section spots more interesting quarry – two wounded anti-tank gunners. They charge…
…Straight into the sights of the BUF Vickers MG team… To the horror of all those watching, the 20th Century finally catches up with the Lancers, as they are mercilessly cut down in a hail of fire. The Squadron Commander tries to encourage the rest of his men to charge the MG, but to no avail. Finally, the Australian MG manages to find the range and exacts revenge on the BUF machine-gunners on the Lancers’ behalf.
Meanwhile, the Anglican tank crew have finally plucked up the courage to remount their tank, despite the hail of incoming fire. However, the KDGs have now found the range…
Having re-mounted their stricken tank, the Anglican tankies’ enthusiasm is short lived as their tank brews up, forcing them to bail out once again.
“Sod this for a game of soldiers!” With the Foot Guards’ jeers ringing in their ears, the Anglican tank crew make good their escape.
“I wonder if that bus is a runner…?”
The St David’s Tank Corps’ day gets even worse as the armoured car loses its duel with the anti-tank rifle team. This time nobody escapes the conflagration.
The Foot Guards, far from being alarmed by the failure of their armoured support, just shrug and keep pouring fire into the Blackshirts, who are now starting to pull back and break under the strain.
A St John’s Ambulance Cadet tends to the wounded Guardsmen in the back of the armoured lorry.
The newly-arrived Australians, seeing Reverend Thomas and his men fleeing across the field toward them, pour fire into the stable-buildings of Robleston Hall, which are now occupied by the Blackshirts. The accurate Australian fire causes considerable damage and the Blackshirts pull back, leaving half their number dead in the stables. One Australian is wounded in the hedgerows by return fire, though the Australians in the house are now receiving the attentions of the enemy tank and are pinned down, with casualties.
With the rest of the Blackshirts dead, wounded or retreating, the reserve Section moves up to cover their withdrawal. BUF Storm-Leader 2nd Class Biggsworth-Hill, the hero of Camrose Bridge, is reported as Missing. The KDGs, duty done, set fire to their disabled tank and make good their escape on foot.
The Reverend Thomas finally reaches safety, though only two of his men are left alive at the end of their ordeal. Lt Col Carruthers is missing along with his men, while two men are known to be prisoners of the Blackshirts, poor devils… Nevertheless, the enemy has been halted and is falling back to Camrose. The Keeston Line is safe (for now).
Game Notes
The figures are mostly by Footsore Miniatures (formerly known as Musketeer Miniatures) and Empress Miniatures.
The Pembroke Post Office Lancers are Empress Miniatures. The Australian Light Horse are by Battle Honours, with Lewis Gunners by Woodbine Miniatures. Both units are painted by Al Broughton.
The livestock are by Redoubt Enterprises.
The AFVs are mostly by Warlord Games with crews by Empress Miniatures, though the Lancia Armoured Lorry is by Footsore Miniatures. The buses are die-cast souvenir ‘Malta Buses’, bought while on holiday in Malta.
The houses are pre-coloured laser-cut models by 4Ground Models. The farm buildings used for Robleston Hall are from EM4 Miniatures’ beautiful resin farm set. Other terrain items were scratch-built by Al ‘Skippy’ Broughton.
Rules used are ‘Force on Force’ by Ambush Alley Games & Osprey, incorporating ‘fog of war’ cards from ‘Went The Day Well?’ by Solway Crafts & Hobbies and others picked up on the ‘Very British Civil Forum’.
The game was played at the Wargames Association of South Pembrokeshire. We meet every Tuesday 7-11pm at 1st Pembroke Scout HQ, Pennar, Pembroke Dock.
In my last post I looked at a few armies that were allied to Napoleonic France. However, the French Army itself also contained quite a number of foreign Regiments and Legions within its ranks, raised from Germans, Italians, Swiss, Dutch, Spaniards, Portuguese, Irish, Corsicans, Croats, Poles, Lithuanians and others.
There had for many years been Irish volunteers in the French Republican armies (as there had been in the Royal French Army of old) but in 1803, these volunteers were consolidated into the French Army as a new Irish Legion. The ‘Legion’ consisted initially of a single light infantry battalion and no other combat-arms, so was from the outset referred to frequently as a ‘Regiment’ rather than a ‘Legion’. Although the Legion reached a strength of 2,000 men in four battalions, it never did raise any cavalry or artillery, so was formally re-titled in 1811 as the ‘3rd Foreign Regiment (Irish)’.
The Legion was dressed in uniforms cut in French light infantry style, but coloured ’emerald green’. Collars were ‘primrose yellow’, while lapels, cuffs, shoulder-straps and turnbacks were all green, piped yellow. Sources are split on the cuff-detail – some say they were pointed, while others say that they were Brandenburg-style, with a yellow cuff-flap. Buttons were yellow metal. Waistcoats were white and breeches are recorded as both green and white in different sources. Belts were white.
The Legion was presented with an Eagle in December 1805 and this was carried by the Legion’s 1st Battalion. Accompanying the Eagle was a flag of unique design (shown above), having a green field with gold-yellow fringe and gold-yellow Irish harps in the corners. In the centre was a tricolour panel, bearing the regimental title and bordered by a gold-yellow wreath.
The Hanoverian Legion was raised in 1803 following the French occupation of Hanover, theoretically consisting of a Light Infantry regiment of two battalions and a Chasseur a Cheval regiment of four squadrons. However, it never managed to achieve its full strength due to disease and desertion.
The Hanoverian Legion, while serving as a single battalion in Spain, had a slightly unusual organisation, comprising one Carabinier (elite) company and four Chasseur companies. There was no Voltigeur company.
The Hanoverian Legion for some reason was never presented with an Eagle. However, each infantry battalion carried a standard French 1804 Pattern infantry regimental flag, as shown above. The corner-medallions, which would normally show a regiment’s number, were instead decorated with silver cloth discs.
The Legion du Midi (also sometimes known as the Piedmontese Legion) was raised in 1803 from Piedmontese volunteers. It was originally intended that the Legion would comprise three line infantry battalions, two light infantry battalions and a battery of artillery. However, the Legion’s first posting was to the Caribbean and disease soon whittled this organisation down to two light infantry battalions.
The Legion’s coats were initially produced from dark red-brown cloth, looted from a Capucin monastery. The colour is therefore known as Capucin and remained the Legion’s uniform colour throughout its existence. Waistcoats and breeches were white, but Capucin overall trousers were also very common. Collars, lapels, cuffs, cuff-flaps and turnbacks were sky-blue and buttons were yellow-metal. Belts were white. Like the Hanoverian Legion, lapels appear to have been cut in the line infantry style, with square ends.
Like the Irish Legion, the Legion du Midi was presented with an Eagle, which was carried by the 1st Battalion. This was dressed with a standard 1804 Pattern infantry regimental flag with silver corner-medallions, as for the Hanoverian Legion.
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Above: Duchy of Warsaw Foot Artillery. There is something very appealing about this relatively simple uniform of dark green with black facings piped red and white cross-belts over the top. The artillery of the Kingdom of Italy wore a very similar uniform in the same colours, but these have a coat cut in Polish style, with short lapels. The Italians wore coats cut in French style.
Above: The Duchy of Warsaw Horse Artillery wore the same colours as the Foot Artillery, but the coat was a single-breasted jacket in the same style as that worn by the Polish Chasseur a Cheval regiments. This was topped off with a single cross-belt, a waist-belt suspending a cavalry sabre in a steel scabbard and a black cavalry busby with red pompom and dark green bag.
Above: It took some considerable digging, but after several years I finally found a description for the uniform of a Hessen-Darmstadt general! The single-breasted coatee was dark blue, with red collar and cuffs and blue turnbacks, all heavily edged and decorated with silver ‘foliate’ lace, akin to that worn by French generals. Epaulettes were silver and the waist-sash was mixed silver & red. The bicorne hat was unlaced and had a white ostrich-feather edge. I couldn’t find any information on the shabraque, but went with blue, edged silver. I used a spare French general figure.
Above: The Westphalian Horse Artillery of the Guard wore a uniform very similar to that of the French Horse Artillery of the Line, so I’ve used French figures for these chaps. Like the French Horse Artillery, they wore a dark blue uniform with red collar, cuffs, turnbacks and trouser-stripes, epaulettes, plumes and shako-cords with yellow-metal buttons.
Above: Like the Polish artillery, there’s something about the uniform of post-1810 Saxon Foot Artillery that I find very appealing. The 1810 Pattern coat was cut in the Germanic ‘Spencer’ style that had already become military fashion in Bavaria and other Confederation of the Rhine armies. The coat was green (the exact shade of which varies depending on what you read or see – I’ve gone for a slightly bright ‘French Dragoon’ green), with lapels, collar, cuffs and turnbacks in red, with yellow metal buttons and without lace. Shako cords and carrot-shaped pompoms were red, while trousers were grey. In full-dress the trousers could also have red piping at the seams.
Above: I make no apologies for posting a few photos of this next unit, which is probably my favourite Napoleonic unit; the Saxon Garde du Korps.
Above: While the Army of Saxony was fairly indifferent in terms of quality and was occasionally downright awful, the Saxon heavy cavalry (i.e. the Garde du Korps, Leib Cuirassiers and Zastrow Cuirassiers) were absolutely superb and among the finest cavalry in the world at the time. The Garde du Korps and Zastrow Cuirassiers in particular, won immortal fame alongside the 14th Polish Cuirassiers, in storming the Great Redoubt at Borodino on horseback! A feat possibly unique in military history?
Above: Not only are they epic units to wield in a wargame, they are also some of the most beautiful models to come from the talented hand of Mr Barton. The Garde du Korps are modelled here as they fought at Borodino, with cloaks rolled en bandolier over the shoulder as limited protection from sabre-cuts and with the fancier items of uniform such as white helmet-plumes and shoulder-scales removed.
Above: The yellow-cream shade of the Garde du Korps’ coat was something I wanted to get ‘looking right’. It’s very difficult to know exactly what colour historic uniforms were, as time and age alters the colour of surviving uniform dyes and the paints of those artists who recorded them, but these coats seem to have been a deep yellow-cream shade: perhaps not as pale as the ‘pale straw’ of 18th Century Prussian Cuirassiers, yet not quite yellow-buff or even canary-yellow I often see them depicted on the wargames table and in modern artwork.
Above: The Garde du Korps trumpeters wore red coats with blue facings and blue/yellow lace. At the shoulders they had red ‘swallows’ nests’ with a lace lower-edge. They also carried silver trumpets on white cords and helmet crests were red. However, I made one error, in that their horses should be black, just like the rank-and-file. Somewhat unusually, it was the officers who rode greys in this regiment, not the trumpeters.
Above: This Garde du Korps officer figure is a single-piece casting and has to be one of my favourite all-time models. As mentioned above, the officer here should be riding a grey horse, not the trumpeters! Ah well…
Note that for some reason, Tony Barton didn’t do standard bearers for the Saxon cavalry, which is a shame. He tends not to model them when there is historical evidence that they didn’t carry them in battle (e.g. French light cavalry and British cavalry). I’ve got no information either way with regard to Saxon cavalry, but I had one broken sabre in the unit, so decided to turn him into a standard-bearer. 🙂 The standard is by Fighting 15s.
Above: Here we have a Baden general, which is produced from a spare French general figure. Baden generals wore a dark blue double-breasted coat with silver buttons and epaulettes. Cuffs, collar and turnbacks were red. The collar and cuffs had silver lace edging and silver foliate lace decoration. There was also a strip of silver lace down the edge of the buttoned-over lapel. The waist-sash was mixed silver, gold and red. The cocked had had a silver scalloped lace edge and white ostrich-feather trim. The cockade for generals was black instead of the usual yellow/red Baden national cockade worn by Baden troops.
Above: The Baden Foot Artillery wore a uniform almost exactly the same as that worn by Bavarian artillery, being a dark blue ‘Spencer’ coat with black collar, cuffs and lapels, red turnbacks on the tails and yellow-metal buttons and shoulder-scales. Some sources describe red piping on the black facings, just like the Bavarians, though other sources do not show this. I’ve opted for the plain black without red piping. Belts were white.
Above: The Baden Light Dragoon Regiment was a very well-regarded cavalry regiment that saw quite a bit of action in the main theatres of war. In 1809 they were brigaded with the Hessen-Darmstadt Chevauxleger Regiment as the cavalry reserve for Massena’s IV Corps, seeing action at Eggmuehl (where they also provided escort for Napoleon), Aspern-Essling and Wagram. In 1813 they were one of the largest cavalry regiments in Napoleon’s reformed Grand Armee and were brigaded with the French 10th Hussars as part of Ney’s III Corps, fighting at Luetzen, Bautzen, Gross-Beeren, Dennewitz and Leipzig. Consequently, they’re a very handy regiment to have as part of a French army, even if you don’t have a Baden contingent.
The uniform of the Baden Light Dragoon Regiment was almost identical in style to those worn by Bavarian cavalry regiments and I therefore used AB Figures Bavarian cavalry figures. The only bit of ‘fettling’ required is to clip the shoulder-scales off the shoulders and file them down into pointed shoulder-straps (the officers and trumpeters require no fettling).
Coats, overall trousers and shabraques were all sky-blue, with red facings, trouser-stripes and shabraque-edging. Shoulder-straps were sky blue, piped red. Trumpeters had red shabraques with white edging, plus red swallows-nests on the shoulders and white lace edging to the facings and chevrons running up the sleeves. Trumpeters also had ‘false sleeves’ handing down their back (like the Bavarians) which were edged with white lace.
With the Danes finished, it’s time for another Cold War army; the Dutch. While the Cloggies might seem like a fairly esoteric choice compared to the ‘big players’ in 1980s NATO, such as the USA, West Germany and the UK, they then had a sizeable army and fielded an entire corps (1 (NL) Corps) in West Germany, responsible for the left flank of NORTHAG and the British I (Br) Corps. They also had a very interesting mix of equipment, from ranging from venerable 
As mentioned in my recent article on modelling Leopard 1 tanks, the Leopard 1-V was a Dutch upgrade of the Leopard 1NL (the V standing for Vebetterd or ‘Improved’). However, the ‘improvement’ proved unreliable and very power-hungry and delivery of 1-Vs was extremely slow. All Leopard 1NL were theoretically upgraded to 1-V standard during the period 1981-1985, though some upgrades weren’t complete until 1987 and some units even received Leopard 2A4 while waiting for Leopard 1-Vs (a situation that I highly doubt they were too upset about)! Many sources describe the Leopard 1-V as being equivalent to the German Leopard 1A5 upgrade programme, but that’s not correct, as the 1-V lacked the advanced fire control, laser-rangefinder and thermal-imaging system of the 1A5. It was actually equivalent to the German Leopard 1A1A1 and shared the same armour upgrade package as that type (which was also used on the 1A5).
Dutch Armoured Battalions initially had three squadrons apiece, each with 17 tanks, organised as an HQ of two tanks and three platoons, each with five tanks. The Battalion HQ had two more tanks, for a total of 53 tanks.
During the 1970s the Royal Netherlands Army was looking for a new APC to replace its clapped-out AMX-13 VTT APCs and took the somewhat bold decision of ordering a series of vehicles based on the XM-765 Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle prototype that the US Army had rejected in favour of what was to become the M2 Bradley. The new vehicle was designated as the YPR-765 and deliveries commenced in 1975. These quickly replaced the AMX-13 VTT and by the 1980s over 2,000 were in service, with over 800 of these being built in the Netherlands.
Each Armoured Infantry Battalion (YPR-765) had three Armoured Infantry Companies and each such company had three platoons with four YPR-765 PRI apiece (one carrying the platoon HQ and three carrying rifle sections).
Above: The YPR-765 PRCO-B (Pantser-Rups-COmmando or ‘Armoured Tracked Command’) was a command variant for Armoured Infantry Company Commanders, which looked pretty identical to the YPR-765 PRI, but in the back had a folding map-table and space for only two passengers. Each Armoured Infantry Company HQ had two of these vehicles.
Above: The YPR-765 PRI .50 was a simpler, cheaper APC variant, being armed only with a Browning M2 .50 Cal (12.7mm) HMG, which was initially mounted on the same style of cupola as that normally fitted to the M113 APC. These were normally only found in support roles, but in 1988 the reserve 101st Brigade replaced the trucks in two infantry battalions with these vehicles. At around this time they started being fitted with US-designed armoured turrets and gun-shield kits of the style that had been fitted to M113 Armoured Cavalry Vehicles (ACAVs) in Vietnam. Here I’ve used a spare ACAV turret salvaged from a Team Yankee M113 APC kit. These fit perfectly over the socket for the resin PRI 25mm turret, so you can potentially swap turrets to field the different versions.
In Belgian service, the YPR-765 PRI .50 was known as the AIFV-B-.50. The Belgians made far more use of the .50 version, often mixing them into platoons alongside the 25s. They also fitted them with ACAV turrets. Belgian AIFV-B-.50s were also fitted with firing-posts for MILAN ATGMs, though this seems to have been a post-1989 addition. During the 1980s there was a dedicated Belgian MILAN variant, the AIFV-B-MIL, which had the simple M113-style cupola and a MILAN mounted on the .50 Cal mount in lieu of the .50 Cal. Internally it was fitted with MILAN ammo racks.
Above: The YPR-765 PRCO-C1 was the battalion HQ variant and was fitted with a US M26 Cupola. This was octagonal, with an armoured vision widow on each face and a .50 Cal mount that allowed the weapon to be aimed and fired remotely from within the vehicle. The same cupola was fitted to the Canadian 
Above: As discussed above, the YPR-765 PRCO-C5 artillery forward observation variant actually had an M113-style cupola fitted and not the M26 Cupola. Here I’ve again used a spare cupola salvaged from a Team Yankee M113 APC kit.
Above: The YPR-765 PRCO-C4 anti-aircraft command vehicle, which provided command and control functions for PRTL flak-tanks and Stinger SAM teams, also used the same type of M113 cupola as the YPR-765 PRCO-C5 and was visually identical.
Above: The YPR-765 PRAT (Pantser-Rups-Anti-Tank) was fitted with the Emmerson Improved TOW ‘Hammerhead’ launcher, as fitted to the US Army’s M901 Improved TOW Vehicle and US Marine Corps’ LAV-AT. The cupola was also fitted with a pintle-mounted FN MAG.
The Support Company of each Armoured Infantry Battalion (765) had twelve of these vehicles, organised into three platoons, each of four YPR-765 PRAT. Each Armoured Infantry Brigade also had a Brigade Anti-Tank Company, equipped with another 24 of these vehicles (six platoons).
The ubiquitous Land Rover was used in a variety of roles by the Royal Netherlands Army and in the front line was used for light reconnaissance by the Reconnaissance Platoons of Armoured Infantry Battalions and Armoured Battalions (armed with an FN MAG). These Reconnaissance Platoons had an HQ with two Land Rovers, four FN MAG-armed recce Land Rovers and three radar recce vehicles (YP-408 PWDR for Armoured Infantry Battalions (408) and YPR-765 PRRDR for Armoured Battalions and Armoured Infantry Battalions (765)). They were also used to transport Stinger SAM teams and for a 1,001 other ancillary tasks.
Some reinforcements have arrived for my 15mm NATO armies this week, in the form of some plastic NATO 
In fact, the set allows you to build a lot more than that, as the parts will also allow you to build a West German Leopard 1A1A1, 1A3 and 1A4, a Danish Leopard 1A3 DK a Greek Leopard GR1 or a Turkish Leopard 1A3 straight out of the box. With minor fettling you can also build all the other Leopard 1 variants used by NATO (and beyond), such as the West German Leopard 1A1, 1A2, 1A2A1, Italian Leopard 1A1, Netherlands Leopard 1A1, Norwegian Leopard 1A1 NO, Belgian Leopard 1BE and the widely-used Leopard 1A5.
As it happens, the 1st Foot Guards (1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuss) were the very first 15mm Napoleonics I ever painted, being Hertiage Miniatures ‘Napoleonettes’ (remember those…?). I then did them again some years later using Battle Honours figures, but they have long since died and it was time to do the Gardes zu Fuss for a third time!
The 2. Garde-Regiment zu Fuss was a late addition to the Prussian order of battle, being created during the Summer Armistice of 1813.
Right that’s it! I’m off to Malta for a week! 🙂
Y Gatrawd ‘Twm Carnabwth’ forms up. The flags of Cantref Cemaes make a gay display.
Speaking of which… Y Merched Beca; The Daughters of Rebecca, Cemaes’ feared shock-troops, bring up the rear.
With strange, pith-helmeted loons formed on their left, Shemi Roberts’ 2nd (Mynachlog-Ddu) Section leads the assault with Mansel Davies’ Llanfyrnach Armoured Company in close support.
A heavy machine gun and armoured car deploy, ready to provide covering fire.
In front of them looms the forbidding silhouette of Y Pen Crwn Fawr.
The Gogs’ objectives are clearly in sight… But behind the sheep, the Herefordshire Territorials lie in wait along the hedgerows.
Behind the hill, the hamlet and railway station of Titley is prepared for defence.
Even the station staff arm themselves, ready to defend the ticket office.
Royalist artillery deploys next to Titley Farm. This unit was to be instrumental in the coming battle.
A band of foreign ruffians calling themselves the King’s Own Colonials deploy on Y Pen Crwn Fach.
Titley still looks peaceful as the battle opens beyond the hills.
Forward Observers near the bridge open the battle by directing artillery fire onto the advancing Gogs and Socialists.
The Territorials shout insults from the bridge parapet.
The Gogs return the compliment with dog-hauled heavy machine gun fire, though first blood goes to the Royalists, as artillery rounds land among the advancing Gogs.
As the Territorials wait for the range to close, a sniper opens up – somewhat ineffectually. On their left, the Titley LDV move up to the crest, opposite the men from Cemaes.
The Cemaes men reach the foot of Y Pen Crwn Fawr without incident and cross the hedge to begin climbing the slope.
The 2nd Section and an armoured car lead the way up the hill.
On their left, the Gogs and Socialists continue the advance under heavy artillery fire.
The clatter of hooves through Titley announces the arrival of the Herefordshire Hunt Hussars.
A hotch-potch of Royalist transport passes through Titley.
Unnoticed by the Royalists, a group of Welsh infiltrators has inserted itself into Titley, disguised as livestock. Good fortune is with the Welsh as the Hereford men completely fail to notice the clear differences between the Welsh Black and Hereford breeds…
The North Wales Constabulary Rifles take a direct hit from Royalist artillery.
The clatter of the Hussars’ hooves is matched by the clatter of militia boots, as the Titley LDV make their first retreat of the day.
As the Cemaes boys climb the slopes, shots ring out, as an anti-tank rifle engages the armour! Mansel Davies’ engineering skills are proved worthy as the armour shrugs off the armour-piercing rounds. Machine guns rattle in reply and the anti-tank rifle team is eliminated.
However, the Territorials now open up on the advancing infantry and 2nd Section suffers the first casualties of the day. Undaunted, the green 3rd (Llangolman) Section moves up on the right and engages the Titley LDV.
Shrieks of “I’ve lost a nail!” and “I’ve laddered my stockings on that gate!” announce the arrival of Y Merched Beca…
In the centre, things are going badly for the Gogs, as an entire Section is wiped out, save for the Plaid Cymru political officer, who seems to have nine lives! The sheep remain nonplussed.
The Cemaes 2nd & 3rd Sections meanwhile pour fire into the Territorials, giving as good as they get.
To their rear, the Cemaes armour and heavy weapons are now fully engaged. The 1st (Capel Rhydwilym) Section awaits orders to move forward from the hedgerow. Dark rumours suddenly arrive of Socialist-back-stabbing, but without a Socialist in sight, the Cemaes men carry on with their mission.
On the far left, the Socialists advance up the river bank while being subjected to long-range artillery fire.
The KOC’s Sikh Detachment prepares to defend the river bridge on the extreme right flank of the Royalist position.
The Gogs continue their advance, horrified at the destruction of their lead section.
The Cemaes mood meanwhile, is buoyant. Victory is scented as the 2nd Section reaches the hedgerow and lobs its sole grenade into the heart of the Territorials. On the right flank meanwhile, the 3rd Section is once again engaged with the Titley LDV, who have returned to the sunken road.
Y Merched Beca move in for the kill, keen to scratch the Royalists’ eyes out and give withering put-downs regarding their dress-sense (“Khaki webbing with black boots is SO 1918…”).
The Titley LDV and the Cemaes 3rd Section continue to duke it out on the flank, while the Hereford Hunt Hussars move up, ready to take advantage of an opportunity to charge to glory, tea and medals.
In the centre, the Gogs renew their advance on Y Pen Crwn Fawr.
But disaster strikes the Cemaes men! Unseen by the Welshmen, the Royalist forward observer, having overseen the destruction of the leading Gog unit, has shifted position to the right. Deadly-accurate artillery now begins landing among the Cemaes men! The first round lands smack in the middle of Colonel Sharp’s HQ group, killing the Medical Officer and several men from the 1st & 2nd Sections, as well as the Merched Beca! It also succeeds in destroying the tank!
But the pain isn’t over. The Territorials have also moved a Vickers MG team over to their left, which now proceeds to scythe down the Cemaes 2nd Section! Further casualties are suffered by the 3rd Section and the whole attack quickly stalls. [The road-signs are very nice morale markers by JP]
The Welshmen determinedly return fire, continuing to thin the Royalist ranks, though suddenly the pendulum of battle seems to be swinging back to the Royalists.
Nevertheless, the Royalists are worried by developments on their left. Men are pulled from the railway cutting to reinforce the left against the determined Welsh attack.
The Sikh Section, duty done, is pulled back through other KOC elements to reinforce the centre. The river bridge soon falls to the Socialists, though the KOC continue to lay down a heavy fire on to the Reds.
As the Cemaes 2nd Section sacrifices itself in the hedgerow, Y Merched Beca launch a desperate attack, lobbing their grenades across the road. Most of the machine-gunners are killed, along with one of the forward observer team and a number of riflemen, but the survivors continue to take a heavy toll on the cross-dressing Welsh lunatics! However, on their left, the Gogs are breaking through!
On the right flank, the Cemaes 1st Section and the survivors of the 3rd Section finally push back the Titley LDV and secure the road.
At the crest of Y Pen Crwn Fawr, the last defenders are put to flight as a Gog armoured car bursts through the hedgerow into the lane.
The remainder of the Gog force, still very strong, swarms up the slope behind the armoured car.
As the surviving Cemaes infantry secure the lane, their heavy weapons and armour move forward, ready to defend against a Royalist counter-attack.
The Hereford Hunt Hussars demonstrate truly amazing qualities of horsemanship as they walk their horse backwards, along the lane to Titley. The Welsh infiltrators continue to observe…
The KOC dig in for the final defence of Y Pen Crwn Fach.
A self-appointed ‘morale officer’ is summarily shot by Royalist military police for Playing the Banjo in a Built Up Area With Intent to Cause a Breach of the Peace, while leaning on a lamp-post.
The Hereford Hunt Hussars are determined to defend a vital area… a very long way from the actual fighting…
The victorious Gog infantry secure the lane at the crest of Y Pen Crwn Fawr!
Cheers erupt around the Welsh and Socialist positions, as they see allied flags being waved from the heights! They’re not sure whose flag it is, but it’s not the King’s flag! “Hurrah!” “Cymru am Byth!” “Bydd gen I beint!” “Pwy yw cot yw siaced yma?!” “Nid oes defaid yn ddiogel heno!”
However, the Gogs are soon engaged in a sharp but indecisive firefight across the railway cutting.
On the right, the exhausted but victorious Cemaes men dig in along the crest of Y Pen Crwn Fawr.
Mr Thomas Williams from Gelli hasn’t had a chance to fire his SMG all day and is itching for a glimpse of a Royalist… But no such luck.
Iorwerth Davies from Clunderwen meanwhile, lobs mortar bombs in the general direction of England.
There is traffic chaos in Titley as the Royalist rear echelons get mixed up with retreating units.
The Herefordshire Territorials’ Medical Officer examines a magnificent cock.
With the situation failing, the King’s forces stoop to dastardly means in an attempt to win the battle. Here we see foreign ruffian mercenaries forcing a brave British soldier to attack alone up the hill. This is the sort of imported evil with which we (and even the King’s own followers) have to contend!
At the end, the King’s forces were even employing CHILDREN to fight the battle, thus proving the righteousness and justice of our cause in fighting the King!
Hello. This is Huw Puw, reporting once again from the Republic of Cantref Cemaes for The Fish Guardian.
